1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a modular wall system for quickly and efficiently constructing buildings of one or more stories. More specifically, the invention relates to a modular wall system having a plurality of interlocking and insulated building pans.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Wall structures formed from the attachment of a plurality of adjacent panel components are well known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 945,682 issued to Lars J. Berg on Jan. 4, 1910, discloses metallic sheathing primarily for use in covering the side walls of railway passenger cars. This sheathing comprises a plurality of strips or sections, each of which have a pair of opposite edge walls. One of these edge walls is configured to have a convex shape, while the other edge wall is configured to have a concave shape. The sheathing is formed by arranging a plurality of panels so that the convex edge wall of each panel neighbors the concave edge wall adjacent panels. These concave and convex edge walls are then interlocked until the desired length of sheathing is obtained.
A metallic sheathing is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 950,832 issued to Samuel W. Banning on Mar. 1, 1910. As with the Berg patent, the metallic sheathing of this invention comprises a plurality of interlocking sections. These panels each have a pair of ends, both of which terminate in an attachment flange. The attachment flange of one end extends toward the center of the section, while the attachment flange of the other end extends away from the center of the section. The attachment flanges of adjacent sections mate with each other to connect neighboring sections. One of the flanges has a recessed portion that creates a groove between the flanges. This recessed portion receives the end of a bolt, or other article, that affixes an exterior wall surface to the sheathing.
Another interlocking panel system incorporating mating flanges with a gap therebetween is U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,094 issued to Donald M. Taylor on Dec. 2, 1969. This invention shows an interlocking rib panel having upstanding flanges extending from opposed edges. Each of these flanges have a different configuration, such than when one flange of one panel is interlocked with a flange of a different panel, a space is provided between the interlocking flanges. Sealant is placed within this space to assure that the connection of the panels is waterproof.
Other modular wall structures include U.S. Pat. No. 3,205,632 issued to John E. McCormick on Sep. 14, 1965. This patent illustrates a wall panel structure formed from a plurality of interlocking components. The top of the wall panel structure is crowned by a cap in the form of a channel. This cap has a main body which sits upon the top of the wall panel structure. Extending from the main body is a pair of extensions, each of which engage a different face of the wall panel structure.
Similar crowning caps are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,868 issued to Raymond F. Becker on Nov. 29, 1966, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,465,488 issued to Peter H. Miller on Sep. 9, 1969. The Becker patent depicts a multi-component wall structure having a top cap for placement on the upper surface of a plurality of interlocked components. Each of these components includes a pair of hook portions, one of which points toward the center of the component, and one of which points away from the center of the component. Hook portions of adjacent components mate with each other to interlock the components.
The Miller patent discloses a dry wall structure constructed of suitably spaced upright studs secured to sheet metal floor runners anchored to the floor. The studs, which may include conduits for wires and pipes, serve as supports for a plurality of wall panels. A sheet metal channelled cap extends along the upper length of the wall.
Still another modular wall system is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,082 issued to Peter Schmitz on Mar. 19, 1985. This patent shows a structural panel having spaced surfaces with a foam core material placed therebetween. The surfaces are both formed from a plurality of interlocking sheet metal plates, each of which have bent edges for mating with the bend edges of neighboring plates.
Foam insulating material is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,468 issued to Jack Slater on Feb. 10, 1987, which shows a panel structure comprising a plurality of elongated slabs of rigid structural grade polystyrene foam insulating material. Each slab includes a pair of recesses disposed upon each of its longitudinal side edges, with each pair of recesses forming a tongue therebetween. The slabs are disposed in side by side coplanar relationship with the tongues of respective slabs being disponed in opposed abutting relationship. A rigid framing member is then placed within the recesses, and serves to sandwich the abutting tongues of adjacent slabs. Perimeter framing strips are then secured to the top and the bottom of the panel structure.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.